Macaroni and Cheese
 
Ingredients: 2 pounds shell macaroni
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons ground mustard
6 cups milk
2 tablespoons onion powder
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon paprika
2 large eggs
24 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Topping:
1 stick butter
2 cups bread crumbs
 
Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta until firm, but flexible.

While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion powder, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf. Temper in the egg by adding a small amount of the heated liquid to the egg before adding that to the mix. Stir in 3/4 of the cheddar. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 4-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese. Melt the butter and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for five minutes before serving.